1. Field
The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods of generating refrigeration and power and, in particular, mobile systems that use waste heat to improve the performance of refrigeration and power generation systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
An open-cycle gas turbine based on the Brayton cycle is one traditional method of generating power. Fresh air is compressed in a compressor and provided to a combustion chamber wherein combustion of a fuel increases the temperature of the gas. The hot high-pressure gas from the combustion chamber is provided to a turbine that is coupled to both the compressor and to an electrical generator, wherein work extracted from the hot compressed gas in the turbine drives the compressor and the power generator. The gas exiting the turbine is then exhausted to the environment. Another approach used on aircraft to provide electrical power uses a generator driven by one of the propulsion engines.
Some traditional approaches to providing refrigeration on aircraft use a reverse Brayton cycle system wherein bleed air from the aircraft engine is compressed in a compressor, then cooled, and then expanded in a turbine that drives the compressor, with the cooled exhaust air from the turbine provided as cooling air to either the cabin or on-board equipment. Other systems include a power generator coupled to the turbine of the reverse Brayton cycle system to generate electrical power. Such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,905 to Claeys et al. wherein the power turbine is driven by bleed air from an aircraft's engine. The relatively low energy content of the bleed air limits the amount of power that can be generated.